For the first time in the history of the African National Congress, they are suffering heavily in the local government elections, a factor which was further worsened by the fact that some ANC supporters boycotted the elections citing discontentment over how the candidates list were manipulated among other factors.

 

The disgruntled ANC members withheld their votes which resulted in low voter turnout in some of ANC strongholds.

Former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla said this fact shows that ANC is gone as this never happened before that supporters would withhold their vote in such a crucial election.

One ANC member took to social media to reveal that he didn’t vote because he wanted to punish the ANC of Sihle Zikalala in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province for what they did to Jacob Zuma leaving him to hang dry.

Duduzile Zuma said there are numerous ANC members who didn’t vote for the same reason. She said Jacob Zuma is loved and many felt so much pain when he was arrested and they punished ANC for that by withholding their vote.

The IFP inflicted wounds on former president Jacob Zuma by snatching his ward in Nkandla. After loosing Nkandla municipality in 2016, the ANC was able to hold on ward 14 as a consolation. But today’s results show that the IFP kicked the ANC out.

IFP also won Inkosi langalibalele Municipality (Estcourt) from ANC. This is where President Zuma was arrested. Critics argue that party members in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province are punishing the ANC.

“KZN is gone! We did warn that the jailing of President Zuma will finish the ANC, they didn’t listen. People were and still angry in how President Zuma was treated, the ANC didn’t say anything or condemn what was happening. Now they’re being booted out everywhere,” a staunch supporter of former president Jacob Zuma says.

Duduzile Zuma said ANC failed to understand that Jacob Zuma is a movement on his own and the party didn’t believe it when members threatened to punish ANC over how they treated the former president.

“President Zuma is a movement on his own and I say that with my chest. If you don’t believe me, go argue with the numbers at the polls and low turnout for the ANC,” she said.

ANC veteran, Carl Niehaus is also breathing fire following a poor performance by the ruling party, he said he has warned this was going to happen but party leadership didn’t listen.